The social movements that rattled the world in 2011-12, from Tunisia and Egypt to Athens and Madrid to New York's Occupy Wall Street and other occupations, revolted against ruling elites and established institutions. They used social media to create connections, but these connections need to spawn face-to-face assemblies and full-spectrum movements if these movements are to further the work of democracy.

Todd Gitlin, a former president of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), draws on his experience as activist and researcher to analyze social mobilization in our era of new and changing media.